A DISTRICT court judge told a Bandon woman who urinated in a garda cell and smeared her excrement on the cell wall that her behaviour was ‘appalling’.
Judge James McNulty also said that the least Eva O’Leary could have done was pay for the costs of cleaning the cell.
Ms O’Leary of 11 Cedar View, Bandon was convicted at Bandon District Court in January for criminal damage and being drunk in a public place from incidents arising in Bandon on December 1st last. Penalty was then deferred for the preparation of a probation report.
The court was told that the defendant, who has 12 previous convictions, including four for theft, had been shopping in Cork city with her partner but ended up drinking and was arrested off the bus when they got back to Bandon.
‘She has no recollection of the events at Bandon Garda Station. She didn’t even realise that she had urinated and excreted in the garda cell,’ said Judge McNulty.
‘She was mortified she smeared her faeces on the wall of the cell and is deeply ashamed.’
The court heard she has not come to the attention of gardaí since the incident but that gardaí have called to her home on a number of occasions due to other issues.
Solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said his client has a gambling problem and she has been engaging with Coolmine on this.
Judge McNulty noted that the probation report said that she is of ‘moderate risk of further offending’, has alcohol issues and is unemployed.
Judge McNulty recalled that she has previous convictions for theft when she worked as a carer where he said her behaviour has become totally unacceptable.
‘The criminal damage in the garda cell was appalling. She must accept responsibility.’
He sentenced her to 90 days on the criminal damage charge. He directed her to enter a probation bond on the drunk in a public place charge while placing herself under the supervision of the probation services for a year where she is to comply with all their directions.
The judge also said it might be time for her to show her partner ‘the door’.
He was told that Ms O’Leary did not pay for the clean-up costs to the garda cell, which gardaí said came to €184.
‘Another disappointing factor and the least she could have done was pay for the cost of the clean-up.’
Mr Taaffe said the costs of the clean-up will be addressed, while recognisances for an appeal were fixed in the defendant’s own bond of €100.